Shell.



PATENTBD AUG. 4, 1903.

H. VON REIOHENAU.

SHELL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1903.

no MODEL explosive charge and smoke-generating Ina-- Harman Snares I Patented August 4, 1903.

aren't @rrrca.

SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,299, dated August 4, 1903. Application filed May 25, 1903. Serialllo. 158,713- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST VON REICHENAU, lieutenant general, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 30 Kaiser Wilhelm Ring, Dusseldorf Oberkassel, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shells for Artillery; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The subject of the present application relates to an improved artillery projectile for guns of flat trajectory character, the action of which is such that on the priming becom ing ignited itinstantaneously bursts under circu instances which cause the contents to be dispersed with only a small divergent angle for the cone of dispersal, and consequently with great destructive effect. ing this necessary condition the projectile is also adapted to ofier a good opportunity for observation at the moment of bursting. This latter effect is obtained by employing a high explosive -t. e., an explosive instan taueously decomposing-together with a rapid smokegenerating substance, and by a special arrangement of these substances relatively to one another withinthe. projectile. v

In accordance with this invention the high explosive charge and smoke-generating material form hollow masses,which extend a relatively considerable length within the thin steel shell of the projectile,.and one of these hollow masses is caused to surround the other. There is in consequence a large area of con} tact between the explosive charge and the smoke-generating matcrial,whereby a certain and complete combustion of the smoke-genof preventing it from being dispersed and in-- completely consumed.

The double cylind rical lining formed by the terial is arranged as close as possible to the circumference of the shell, so that surrounding it is the relatively thin envelop of shell rally depends on its capability to withstand the stresses due to firing. The space within Besides fulfi'llcrating substance is insured. The smoke material itself, the strength of which natube paid to the advantage of increased specific weight obtained by suitably alloying the same. ,Also the proportions adopted should correspond-to the calculated tables for projectiles.

As distinguished from. the :action of shells which have the explosive and smoke-generating substance in the center of the projectile, the eifect-ofithe arran,. :ementv in accordance with this invention is to cause the'angle of, the cone of dispersion of thecontents of the shell'to be considerably decreased.

On the bursting of shells which have-the explosive-in the center a force is exerted outward on the surrounding projectilematerial which adds itself to the-effect of the centrif ugal action and tends to increase the dispersal and the angle of the cone of divergence, even though the force may besmall, as when only a small quantityof explosive is present. In this new arrangement the main portion of the projectile material (represented by the packed pieces which are inclosed within the double lining before mentioned) is subjected to a force which is opposed to the-action of the centrifugal force. The pieces produced by rupture at themoment of the explosions or previously introduced as divided masses are subjected by the explosion lie-theoretically no influence whichcould drive them out of the path of the projectile. -Th'e small dis.-

persal which does occur tothe pieces of pro-- j ectile is caused by unavoidable inequalities in the explosive andiby'theaction of the-air resistance and the Kimmy-The angleof the cone of ziispeigsionfisj thei efore reduced-to a minimum. T g

In the accompanying-drawings, Figure 1- is'a longitudinalsection, and Fig. 2 a cross section, of the shell.

or is the lining composed of the charge ofexplosive.

is the lining composed of dense smokegenerating material. In the left half of the drawings the double lining extends to the base shown composed of steel pieces closely packed together. On the left of the cross-section the pieces form quadrant-shaped pieces and on the right the pieces are more divided.

6 is the priming of the projectile. It is obvious that the arrangement of the cylindrical linings a and b of explosive and smoke-gencrating substances, respectively; may be reversed with regard to each other.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. A shell for a projectile adapted to effect, with the instantaneous ignition of the explosive charge, the generation of a dense volume of smoke and cause the angle of the cone of dispersion of the contents of the shell to be kept relatively small, consisting of a thin hollow casing lined with high explosive material and with projectile material.

a cylindrical layer 05 another cylindrical layer' of smoke-generating material, the space within the two layers being packed 2. A shell for a projectile adapted to efiect, with the instantaneous ignition of the explosive charge, the generation of a dense volume of smoke and cause the angle of the cone of dispersion of the contents of the shell to be kept relatively small, consisting of a thin hol low casing lined with a cylindrical layer of high explosive material and another cylindrical layer of smoke-generating material,

the layer of explosive surrounding the layer of smoke-generating material, the space with in the interior layer being packed with a mass of divided projectilematerial.

- In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. ERNST VON Witnesses: PETER LIEBER, EMMA HERBER.

REICHENAU. 

